I'm a mother of two, grandmother of three (soon to become four), and I work in civil rights law enforcement. I also sing professionally, and do the occasional voiceover. I'm in the final stages of a floor-to-ceiling kitchen renovation, and my dear friend Shirley was so kind to tell me that EVERYONE cries during one of these projects. My family loves pork chops! I use a secret ingredient that gives them an unmistakably delicious flavor. I love to bake: cakes, pies, muffins, cookies, so I simply CANNOT live without my Kitchen-Aid stand mixer. Because I come from a family of superb cooks I was taught how to make my grandmother Marguerite's Pound Cake and my mother's Chicken and Shrimp Gumbo as a young girl. Every Christmas my mom made several pitchers of homemade eggnog, and along with her bourbon balls, they were a special part of our holiday celebrations. And of course, I learned how to make Southern Fried Chicken! Pork chops: so flavorful, moist, and tender! Other family favorites are my Buttermilk Brownies, a one-pan dish called "What the Heck Do I Make For Dinner?" and my late husband's favorite, Lemon Meringue Pie. I love so many of the many wonderful recipes that have been shared on AllRecipes -- it's been my go-to resource for close to 10 years! I find no reason to retain memories of cooking tragedies, so I can't help you there! LOL